The Crime Desk: A dead dolphin of an endangered species has been washed up in the Halda River, a natural fish breeding center. The dead dolphin was recovered from the Ajimar Ghat area of Paschim Gujra Union of the upazila around 11:30 am on Wednesday. Halda experts believe that the dolphin died a few days ago. However, it was not possible to determine the cause of death as it was decomposed.
It is learned that on Wednesday morning, locals saw a dead dolphin floating in the river in the Ajimar Ghat area of the Halda River. The matter was reported to the concerned officials and Halda expert Professor Dr. Manjurul Kibria. He and officials of the Fisheries Department went to the spot and rescued the dolphin. After the rescue, it was seen that the dolphin was rotting and emitting a foul smell. Later, the people present at the Fisheries Department buried the rotten dolphin.
Dr. Md. Shafiqul Islam, a researcher working on Halda biodiversity and head of the biology department at Chittagong Cantonment Public College, said about the death of the dolphin that researchers and environmentalists have been demanding from the authorities for many years to identify the source of river water pollution and take measures to protect the endangered species of Gangetic dolphin. To take initiatives to ban nets from the river and mechanical boats at the mouth of Halda. Although the people of Halda are vocal in these demands, the Halda dolphin population is decreasing due to the lack of effective measures so far.
Coordinator of the Halda Research Laboratory of Chittagong University (CU), Halda researcher and president of the Zoology Department of CU, Professor Dr. Manjurul Kibria said that this dead dolphin is the 43rd dolphin recovered from the Halda River. The Halda River Research Laboratory of Chittagong University and the Department of Fisheries jointly prepared a report on the dolphin. It weighs about 13 kg and is 45 inches long. This is a young dolphin and the fourth dead dolphin to be recovered in 2024. He mentioned that the cause of death could not be ascertained as the recovered dolphin was decomposed.
When asked, Raozan Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Alamgir Hossain said that the dolphin that floated in Halda had been buried.
